Box Score / Box Score (PDF)

Staten Island, NY - Monmouth rallied for a 7-4 win over Wagner in the second game of today's doubleheader. The Seahawks, which won game one by a 7-4 count, fall to 9-14 and 5-3 in the Northeast Conference (NEC) while the preseason favorite Hawks improve to 13-9 and 5-3 in the league.

Graduate student Bill Murphy (Cranford, NJ / Roselle Catholic / Rutgers) led the way on offense, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, falling just a home run short of the cycle.

After a scoreless first inning, Wagner plated four two-out runs in the bottom of the second. Freshman Nick Dini (Monroe Township, NJ / Monroe Township) led off with a single before moving to second on the first of two Chris Smith (So., Tampa, FL / Freedom / Ellsworth (IA) CC) sacrifice bunts. One out later, junior Nick Alfano (Coral Springs, FL / North Broward Prep) battled back from a 0-2 hole to smoke a single to left center, scoring Dini with the game's first run. After sophomore Ian Miller (Downington, PA / Bishop Shanahan) reached via an infield single, Murphy plated Alfano and Miller with a two-run triple before scoring when the throw to third caromed into the Hawk dugout.

MU countered with an unearned run of its own in the top of the third when Jake Gronsky plated Ed Martin with a two-out RBI single to left center.

The Hawks then cut the deficit to 4-3 on Jon Guida's two-run single in the top of the fifth inning.

Monmouth took its first lead of the game in the top of the seventh inning on Dan Avella's three-run double, making it 6-4. The Hawks pushed the advantage out to 7-4 on an Owen Stewart's RBI double in the top of the ninth inning.

After scoring four runs in the second, the Seahawk offense was limited to just three hits the rest of the way.

Jake Gronsky paced Monmouth, which outhit Wagner 12-9, at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two runs and a RBI.

Freshman RHP Dan Watson (Howell, NJ / Howell) (1-2) was the tough-luck losing pitcher, surrendering five runs, three earned, on seven hits and two walks over 6.0 innings. The Garden State native also struck out four while recording an impressive nine ground ball outs.

Hawks LHP Stephen Frey (3-1) earned the win, yielding four runs, three earned, on nine hits over 8.0 innings.  RHP Charlie Battis collected his second save with a perfect ninth inning.

The teams split this weekend's four-game series with the Seahawks winning games two and three and MU the first and fourth games.

Wagner returns to action at Rutgers on Wednesday, March 28 with first pitch slated for 3:00 pm.

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